Coupler and yoke connection



Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE ROLAND J'. OLANDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H. MIN-ER, INC. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COUPLER AND YOKE CONNECTION Application filed February 9, '1931. Serial No. 514,458.

This invention relates to improvements in coupler and yoke connections.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient connection between the 5 coupler and yoke of a railway draft rigging providing for ready attachment and detachment f the parts, wherein the coupler butt cooperates with the connecting means to hold the same in looking position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for detachably connecting the coupler to the yoke of a railway draft rigging, including a holding element or key, wherein the holding element has shouldered engagement with the yoke to prevent accidental removal thereof, and the coupler butt cooperates with the holding element to maintain its shouldered engagement.

A more specific object of the invention is 2 to provide means for connecting the coupler to the yoke member of a draft rigging,

wherein the coupler is provided with a shouldered butt member having engagement with an upper shoulder of the yoke and a lower shoulder provided on a detachable locking element to limit outward movement of the coupler with respect to the yoke, the detachable element being insertible through an opening in the side wall of the yoke and 30 locked against lateral disengagement from the yoke by engagement at opposite ends with abutment means on the yoke, and being maintained in looking position by engagement with the bottom face of the coupler butt, the opening through which the locking element is insertible being of such a size as to permit lifting of one end of said element when the coupler butt is displaced inwardly of the yoke to a predetermined extent, whereby the corresponding end of the locking element is freed from shouldered engagement with the yoke to permit withdrawal of the locking element and disengagement of the coupler from the yoke.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coupler and yoke, illustrating my improve ments in connectiontherewith. Figure 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 22 of Figure 1, the yoke being partly broken away, and the coupler shank being illustrated in dotted lines. And Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view correspondingsubstantially to the line 33-of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawing, my improvements comprise broadly a yoke member A,

a coupler member B, and a detachable looking block or key 6..

The yoke A is of the hooded type, having horizontally disposed, spaced top and bottom arms 10 and 11, and a vertical rear end connecting section 12. The hood member of the yoke is formed at the forward end thereof and comprises spaced top and. bottom walls 13 and 14 and spaced vertical side walls 15 and 16. The top wall 13 of the hood forms a continuation of the top arm 10 of the yoke and has adownturned section 35 at the forward end thereof which presents a transverse shoulder 36, which cooperates with the butt end of the, shank of the coupler B. The bottom wall 14 of the hood member is downwardly oflset with respect to the bottom arm 11 of the yoke, as clearly shown in Figure 1. A recess 17 is thus provided between the side walls of the hood of the yoke, said recess extending rearwardly of the inner end portions of the side walls, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. 'The side walls 15 and 16 of the hood member diverge slightly outwardly and are thickened at the bottom portion of the hood, as indicated at 1818 in Figures 2 and 3. The side walls, adjacent the lower portions thereof are provided with alined openings 20 and 21, which are of substantially L- shape form. The bottom walls of the horizontal sections of the openings 20 and 21 are in alinement with the top surface of the recessed portion 17 of the bottom wall 14 of the hood. The opening 20, which is provided in the wall 15 of the hood, has thebottom sec- I tion thereof of greater length than the corresponding bottom section of the opening 21 of the wall 16. The longitudinal section of the opening 21 is of. lesser height than the corresponding section of the opening 20, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. The vertical sections at the forward ends of the openings 20 and 21 are of substantially the same width, but said vertical section of the opening 20 is of greater height than the corresponding section of the opening 21, as clearly indicated in Figure 1. The bottom wall 1 1 of the hood is provided with an upstanding lug 22, which projects into the horizontal section of the opening 20, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the

lug is spaced from the front and rear end walls of said opening, being a lesser distance from the front than from the rear wall. The end portions of both the vertical and horizontal sections of the openings 20 and 21 are preferably rounded at the corners, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

The coupler B, the inner end of the shank portion of which is illustrated only, is of the enlarged butt type, thereby providing transverse top and bottom shoulders 23 and 24, by means of which the outward movementof the coupler with respect to the yoke is restricted and the yoke is held in assembled relation therewith. K

The retaining element or block C functions as a locking key and is in the form of a relatively heavy plate-like member having a transverse, upstanding flange or rib 25 at the forward end thereof, thus providing a locking member of substantially L-shaped cross section corresponding with the formation of the openings 20 and 21 in the side walls of the hood of the yoke. The upstanding flange or rib 25 engages the bottom shoulder 24 of the coupler butt when the parts are in assembled relation and the: top shoulder 23 of the coupler butt engages the transverse shoulder 36 on the top wall of the hood of the yoke. As will be evident, the coupler member is thereby limited against outward movement with respect to the yoke but'may move inwardly of the same. The ofiset section 14: of the bottom wall of the hood of the yoke is spaced such a distance from the lower edge of the section 35 of the top wall of the hood that the coupler butt may be freely inserted through the open end of the hood when the key or locking element C is not in position. The locking element C is provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed spaced ribs at the bottom thereof, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The ribs are preferably three in number, comprising a central straight rib 26 and a pair of outer ribs 27 and 28, the rib 27 being outwardly offset at the inner end, as indicated at 29, and the rib 28 being inwardly offset, as indicated at 30. At the corresponding side to the rib 28, the platelike section of the retaining element C is notched or cut awa as indicated at 31, so as to fit within the horizontal section of the opening 21. The notched portion and the offset section 30 of the rib 28 provide abutment means at the corresponding end of the key, which engages with the inner surface of the corresponding side wall 16 of the hood of the yoke to hold the key against lateral outward movement. The main portion of the rib 27, at the opposite end of the plate-like section of the retaining element C, normally engages the upstanding lug 22, as clearly shown in the drawing, toprevent outward movement of the key with respect to the yoke. The key is of uniform thickness throughout its width and approximately fits the opening 21, but clearance is provided between the top of the key or retaining element C and the top wall sections of the horizontal and vertical portions of the opening 20. This clearance is suiiicient to permit lifting of the key to an extent to free the rib 27 from the lug 22, so that the key may be freely and entirely withdrawn from the hood of the yoke through the opening 20. When the parts are in assembled relation, the locking element C is in shouldered engagement at opposite ends with the wall 16 and the lug 22 of the yoke and is maintained in that position by the butt portion of the shank of the coupler B, which rests upon the upper surface of the plate-like section of said locking element.

In assembling the parts, the butt end of the coupler shank is entered through the open end of the hood of the yoke while the key or locking element C is removed. As hereinbefore pointed out, the recessed portion 17 of the bottom wall of the hood facilitates entrance of the enlarged butt member of the coupler shank. After the shank has been entered within the hood member, the same is displaced rearwardly to such an extent that the lower shoulder 24 thereof clears the inner end of the opening 20 in the side wall 15 of the hood. As will be evident, sufiicient space is thereby provided between the upper surface of the bottom wall 14 of the hood and the shank portion of the coupler adjacent the butt section thereof to allow lateral insertion of the locking element 0 in an inclined position through the opening 20 of the wall 15. When the locking element C has been fully inserted so that the rib 27 passes beyond the lug 22, the locking element is permitted to drop to the position shown in Figure 3. As will be evident, in this position the key is held against removal by shouldered engagement at one end with the wall 16 and at the other end with the lug 22. The coupler B may then be pulled outwardly to the position shown in Figure 1, and the shock absorbing mechanism and follower members placed within the yoke in the usual manner. With the coupler in the position shown in Figure 1, the locking element C is held from vertical displacement by engagement of the lower face of the enlarged portion of the butt with the plate-like section of said locking element,

thereby maintaining the same in locking position.

To detach the coupler from the yoke, the shock absorbing mechanism and followers are removed from within the yoke in the usual manner and the coupler is then moved inwardly to displace the enlarged butt portion thereof to a sufiicient extent to clear the inner end edge of the locking element C. The locking element C is then lifted at the end where it engages the lug 22 so as to free the same from this lug and is withdrawn from the yoke laterally by moving the same through the opening 20. After removal of the locking element, the coupler member may be readily detached from the yoke by pulling the same outwardly.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the drawing, it will be evident that when the locking element is in assembled position, the same is held against longitudinal movement with respect to the yoke by the front and rear walls of the openings 20 and 21 in the side walls of the hood and is maintained in locking position by the shouldered engagement at opposite ends thereof with the wall 16 and the lug 22. The key is thus rigidly held in position and provides rugged shouldered engagement with the bottom shoulder 24 of the enlarged coupler butt. It is further pointed out that when the key or locking element is in position, the enlarged butt member of the coupler shank is supported in such a manner that engagement of the top shoulder 23 thereof with the shoulder 36 of the top section of the hood is assured.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A yoke for draft riggings including a hooded portion defined by spaced side and spaced top and bottom walls, said hood portion having a transverse shoulder adapted to cooperate with a corresponding shoulder of a coupler butt, the wall opposite said shouldered portion being offset, said side walls being provided with transverse, alined openings adjacent said ofi'set wall adapted to receive a locking block, one of said openings being of greater vertical dimensions than the other, said yoke having a locking lug adj cent said opening of greater vertical dimensions; and a locking block of lesser height than said last named opening, said locking block having shouldered engagement at one end with said lug and at the other end with the corresponding side wall of the hood, to lock said block against lateral displacement said block having a transverse shoulder cooperating with the corresponding shoulder of the coupler butt, said block being vertically displaceable in said larger opening of the hood of the. yoke to free the same from said lug and'permit lateral withdrawal from the yoke. i

2. Ina device of the character described, the combination with a coupler member having an enlarged butt defining top and bottom transverse shoulders; of a yoke member having a hood portion adapted to receive the coupler butt, said hood portion being defined by spaced top and bottom walls and spaced side walls, said top wall having a transverse shoulder engaging the top shoulder of the coupler butt, the side. walls of said hood having alined openings adjacent said bottom wall, each of said openings having a horizontal section and a vertically extended end section; an upstanchng retaining lug projecting into one of said openings, all portions of said last named opening being of greater dimensions in vertical height than the corresponding sections of the other opening, and the horizontal section thereof being of greater length than the horizontal section of said other opening; and a plate-like locking element extending through said openings, said locking element having a transverse, upstanding flange at the forward portion thereof having shouldered engagement with the bottom shoulder of the coupler butt, the plate-like sections being provided with shoulders at opposite ends having engagement respectively with said lug and the wall at the opposite side of the hood of the yoke, said locking element being vertically displaceable in said larger opening to permit withdrawal of the same from shouldered engagement with said lug.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a coupler having a shouldered butt; of a yoke having a hood section at one end adapted to receive the shouldered coupler butt, the side walls of the hood being provided with aligned openings adapted to receive a locking element, one of said openings being of greater vertical dimension than the other, said locking element being laterally insertable through said opening of greater vertical dimension, said locking ele ment having a transverse shoulder adapted to engage the shouldered butt of the coupler to restrict outward movement of the latter with respect to the yoke, said locking element having shouldered engagement with the yoke to lock the same against lateral displacement with respect to the yoke, said locking element having its opposite ends disposed in said openings, the end disposed in said opening of greater hei 'ht being of lesser thickness in height than said opening, and the other end of said element fitting the other opening to permit pivotal movement in said opening about an axis longitudinal of the yoke, thereby permitting swinging of the first named end of said locking element in a vertical direction to free the same from said shouldered engagement with the yoke and allow withdrawal thereof through said opening of greater vertical dimension and detachment of the coupler from the yoke.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of February, 1931.

ROLAND J. OLANDER. 

